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Hizbullah's Media Empire

(Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center) Hizbullah has constructed a Shiite "mini-state" in Lebanon with massive Iranian support to create a "resistance society" which supports Hizbullah in its struggle against Israel. The social institutions established by Hizbullah in the spheres of education, culture, health, welfare, finance, sports, construction, and agriculture are of the sort usually provided by the state. This reflects the weakness of the Lebanese central government and years of neglect of the Shiite community. Hizbullah's media empire plays an important role in disseminating the ideology and political messages of Iran and Hizbullah in Lebanon, the Middle East and throughout the world. Such an extensive media empire in the possession of a terrorist organization is unprecedented. Its two main media outlets, Al-Manar TV and Al-Ahed newspaper, also operate in English, French and Spanish. Al-Manar TV, believed financed by Iran, involves an annual expense of tens of millions of dollars. The channel broadcasts via four satellites: three Russian and one Indonesian. The channel focuses on "the resistance" and broadcasts Iranian content (the Islamic Revolution, tourist sites in Iran, Iranian films dubbed in Arabic or with Arabic subtitles) and Shiite content (prayers and ceremonies). In January 2018, the U.S. Department of the Treasury added Al-Manar and Hizbullah's Radio Nour to its list of sanctioned institutions. In 2004, France, Egypt and Saudi Arabia stopped providing satellite services to Al-Manar, and several countries (including Germany) banned the channel's broadcasts on their territory.
2019-09-06 00:00:00
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